Culture moves the world at Milano Cortina 2026
The Olympic Museum and Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026 have unveiled a nationwide programme of cultural initiatives connecting places, people and experiences throughout Italy.
"Culture moves the world" was the key message echoed during a round table held on 27 January, where Angelita Teo and Yasmin Meichtry, Director and Deputy Director of the Olympic Museum, together with Domenico De Maio, Director of the Education & Culture at the Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026, met with journalists to present the extensive programme of cultural activities and initiatives accompanying Milano Cortina 2026.
Culture is recognised by the IOC as one of the three pillars of Olympism, alongside sport and education. The Cultural Olympiad is a journey that traditionally highlights a country’s creative energy through diverse and contemporary forms of expression, giving voice to the richness of its cultural heritage.
The Cultural Olympiad programme of Milano Cortina 2026 includes exhibitions, theatre and music performances, artistic and urban installations, festivals, workshops and educational projects, developed also thanks to national and international collaborations. Among these is the partnership with the Olympic Museum: a wide-ranging set of initiatives that explores the relationship between sport and culture from multiple perspectives.
Five Olympic Museum collaborations during Milano Cortina 2026
1. The Olympic Games – A 3,000-Year History
Fondazione Luigi Rovati, Milan
25 November 2025 – 22 March 2026
An international co-production by Fondazione Luigi Rovati, MCAH Lausanne and the Olympic Museum, this exhibition highlights how the Greek, Etruscan and Roman worlds dovetail with the modern Olympic Movement and shows that the values of excellence, friendship and respect have deep roots that remain meaningful to this day. Iconic Olympic Museum artefacts – from Usain Bolt’s running vest to Michael Jordan’s shoes – are shown alongside treasures from antiquity.
2. Musa
Casa Italia, Viale Emilio Alemagna 6, Milan
6-22 February 2026
Casa Italia’s Milano Cortina 2026 exhibition celebrates Italy as an eternal source of inspiration, brought to life through the nine Roman Muses. Based in the celebrated Triennale and co-produced by the Olympic Museum, the exhibition blends historic objects from the museum's collections in Lausanne with prestigious artworks by world-renowned artists.
3. Olympism Made Visible at Milano Cortina 2026
With photography by Giampaolo Sgura
Palazzo Castiglioni, Corso Venezia 47, Milan
12-17 February 2026
Part of the MuseoCity 10th Anniversary Programme
A brand-new photography commission by world-renowned Italian fashion photographer Giampaolo Sgura, created as part of Olympism Made Visible, a photography initiative led by the Olympic Museum. Having immersed himself in the Milano Cortina 2026 Opening Ceremony rehearsals, Sgura captured the people, costumes and collective energy behind the spectacle. Set to be unveiled only days after the ceremony, this series offers an artistic and deeply human glimpse behind the scenes.
4. Fundamentals: 1924–2026 Olympic Ice Sports
Portello metro station (M5 line), Milan
27 January - 30 March 2026
Located next to the Milano Cortina 2026 Main Press Centre, the Portello metro station has been transformed into a cultural hub for the city. The entire station features “Fundamentals”, an art installation produced in collaboration with Milano & Partners and Metro 5. Focusing on the two sports being hosted in Milan – ice hockey and skating (including figure skating, speed skating and short track) – the project takes you on a curated journey through the rules, heroes and defining moments that have shaped Olympic ice sports over the past century.
5. Competition – Interconnecting Rings
Le Gallerie, Piazza di Piedicastello, Trento (TN)
30 January 2026 - 6 January 2027
A major exhibition about the emotions of athletes and the history of Olympic and Paralympic sport, aimed at understanding what one feels during moments of competition. It is being curated with the Fondazione Museo storico del Trentino and the Autonomous Province of Trento, and in collaboration with the Milano Cortina 2026 Foundation. By intertwining the human dimension of competition with the historical evolution of Olympic sport, “Competition” is a fascinating journey through Olympism past and present.
“The Olympic Museum connects the Olympic values with culture and society through storytelling, engaging audiences across generations and regions,” said its Director, Angelita Teo.
As part of the Milano Cortina 2026 Cultural Olympiad, we supported the delivery of more than 50 projects, including partnerships with institutions such as the Biennale di Venezia and the Triennale, by activating impactful programmes and sharing objects and images from the world's most extensive Olympic heritage collection.
Between 2024 and 2025, the Cultural Olympiad has already activated around 500 initiatives, with more than 2,250 event days and the overall involvement of approximately 6.8 million people, including audiences and participants in educational and cultural activities. These figures reflect the scale and continuity of a project designed to accompany the country throughout the entire period of the Games.
Domenico De Maio, Education and Culture Director of the Milano Cortina 2026 Foundation, added: “The programme is an invitation to step into the heart of the Cultural Olympiad: a journey that builds connections, opens up opportunities and gives voice to local territories. We have worked to ensure that each initiative could generate relationships, foster inclusion and tell the story of Italy through its beauty, creativity and vision for the future.”